Cubs Fall to Marlins

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Cubs Fall to Marlins

By Mark GonzalesTribune reporter

9:25 p.m. CDT, June 17, 2014

MIAMI — Jeff Samardzija was very relaxed three hours before taking the Marlins Park mound for the Chicago Cubs in front of several scouts interest in acquiring him.

“Jeff is very loose when he comes,” manager Rick Renteria said before Tuesday night’s game against the Miami Marlins. “He plays his music, he’s talking. Some pitchers are reserved on the days they pitch. He’s usually pretty jovial and interacts with everybody.”

Samardzija, however, was tagged for seven hits in the first four innings and was pulled after 110 pitches in six innings

The Cubs rallied to take a lead in the seventh inning, but that was wiped out when Brian Schlitter surrrendered a three-run home run to Garrett Jones in the bottom of the inning to give the Marlins a 6-5 win.

Samardzija, who left with no decison, is the only pitcher in the majors with at least 12 starts, an ERA under .300 but only two victories.

The Cubs snapped a 3-3 tie in the top of the inning when Chris Coghlan, batting for Samardzija, hit a single and scored on a double by Luis Valbuena.

Samardzija, pitching in front of more than a half dozen scouts, put a runner on base in every inning but the sixth. He walked three and struck out eight.

Samardzija hurt his cause in the fourth by bobbling a grounder for an error, and Rafael Furcal came through with a two-run, game-tying single with two out.

Samardzija allowed two singles to start the bottom of the first. He nearly escaped without any danger, but shortstop Starlin Castro sailed a throw behind Samardzija at first base on a potential double play that resulted in Castro’s 11th error in the season and allowed the Marlins to take a 1-0 lead.

The Cubs’ offense, which hasn’t provide Samardzija with any runs in five of his 14 starts, responded with three runs in the second to give him a 3-1 lead.

Junior Lake ripped a two-run home run well over the left field seats. Darwin Barney and Eli Whiteside, who were batting .190 and .053, respectively, hit consecutive singles off Anthony DeSclafani. Samardzjia capped the rally by hitting a sacrifice fly.